The present invention relates to an airbag module for occupant restraint systems in vehicles.
The attachment of a covering cap on the housing part of an airbag module must meet the requirement that the covering cap, in spite of the simplest possible assembly, must remain attached to the housing part when it is exposed to the extreme forces that occur when the airbag is activated. In the conventional airbag modules, therefore, the attachment is largely effectuated by means of screwing or riveting.
The invention provides an airbag module for occupant restraint systems in vehicles the covering cap of which can be mounted in a simple manner and with which an unintentional detachment of the covering cap from the housing part is ruled out.
Specifically, according to a first embodiment of the invention, the airbag module for an occupant restraint system in a vehicle, comprises a housing made of sheet metal and having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending from the bottom wall, a gas generator attached to the bottom wall, an airbag attached to the peripheral wall and a cover cap also attached to the peripheral wall. The cover cap has a connection wall fitted over the peripheral wall of the housing. The connection wall has a plurality of cutouts spaced from each other in a peripheral direction. The peripheral wall of the housing has an edge remote from the bottom wall with hook-shaped tabs formed thereon corresponding in number and position to the cutouts in the connection wall of the cover cap. Each of the hook-shaped tabs passes radially outwardly through a respective one of the cutouts and has a free end bent in a direction toward the bottom wall along part of an outer surface of the connection wall. The housing in an area of the peripheral wall adjoining the bottom wall has a plurality of punched-out tabs bent outwardly and pressed against an outer surface of the connection wall close to the bottom wall.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, an airbag module for an occupant restraint system in a vehicle is provided that comprises a housing molded of plastics and having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending from the bottom wall, a gas generator attached to the bottom wall, an airbag attached to the peripheral wall and a cover cap also attached to the peripheral wall. The airbag has an attachment collar with peripherally spaced attachment openings therein. The peripheral wall has an outer surface with integrally molded latching noses thereon that pass through respective ones of the attachment openings. The cover cap has a connection wall fitted over the attachment collar of the airbag and over the peripheral wall of the housing. The connection wall has peripherally spaced cutouts corresponding in number and shape to the latching noses which engage into the cutouts.